Looking for Improved Future in Emergency (LIFE) – supporting vulnerable children affected by the conflict in Eastern Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is currently experiencing one of the world’s most acute and complex humanitarian emergencies. Like many other countries in the Sahel region, Burkina Faso faces extreme violence and poverty, which has worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The humanitarian crisis has displaced over 1.4 million people, and around 3.5 million people need humanitarian assistance. Children are among the most acutely affected by the crisis, as thousands of schools and pre-schools have been shut down. When access to education and safe spaces for children disappear, they become more vulnerable to abuse, violence and exploitation. Girls in particular risk never returning to school or being married away. Many of the children need psycho-social support and a safe place where they can play, learn, and develop.
The LIFE programme centered in Fada N’Gourma – the administrative center of the Burkina Faso’s easternmost region – where many of the region’s internally displaced have sought refuge from violence in rural areas. The continuous influx of people puts pressure on the already weak health and education services. The objective of the project is to provide increased access to safe and inclusive quality education for internally displaced and local children, especially girls aged 6 to 12. Furthermore, the project will ensure that these children are covered by protection mechanisms and live in a protective environment.
Impact:
So far, the LIFE project has created vital improvements in the lives of the children affected:
- 20 classrooms and 4 child-friendly spaces have been built and equipped.
- 1,114 children have received school materials, and 4,778 children have benefited from catch-up classes.
- 300 particularly vulnerable children’s families have received money transfers to send the children to school.
- 100 teachers have been given skills to improve safety and provide psychosocial support in the classes.
- 400 parents have been trained to take better care of the needs and development of the children in stressful circumstances.
As of December 2021, the project has benefited 7,712 school children, including 4,058 girls.
